What is a Martingale?

A martingale is a type of dog collar that provides more control over the animal without the choking effect of a slip collar.Martingale dog collars are also known as greyhound, whippet or humane choke collars. The martingale dog collar was designed for sighthounds because their necks are larger than their heads and they can often slip out of buckle collars. These collars have gained popularity among other breed owners in the recent past with many trainers now recommending them instead of choke chains or buckle collars.A martingale collar is made with two loops. The larger loop is slipped onto the dogs neck and a lead is then clipped to the smaller loop. When the dog tries to pull, the tension on the lead pulls the small loop taut, which makes the large loop smaller and tighter on the neck, thus preventing escape. Properly fitted, the collar will be comfortably loose whenever the dog is not pulling against the leash.

Choosing a size and width for your martingale

​Size - Using a tape measure, measure the neck right behind your dog’s ears. The numbers listed next to our sizes are neck measurements, so just choose the size with your dog’s measurement in the middle of the range. ​

Width - Cut a strip of paper in the width you are considering and wrap it around your dog’s neck. If it looks like a turtleneck it’s too wide, ​it looks flimsy and thin it’s too narrow.